Santa Rosa Hearing Aid Center and Audiologist Services

Santa Rosa Hearing Aid Center and Audiologist Services

Audiology Associates is a Santa Rosa hearing aid center specializing in hearing tests, tinnitus, hearing loss in children, and has been recognized for hearing aids and other audiologist services Santa Rosa residents have come to trust. Dr. Peter Marincovich is a highly respected audiologist in the Santa Rosa area in California, not only helping patients with hearing loss, but also educating individuals and families on how to cope with it. It is no surprise then that Audiology Associates of Santa Rosa has been around for 30 years. In this recent interview with Top Local TV Dr. Marincovich discusses what to look for in a great audiologist and Santa Rosa hearing aid center.

Full Transcription:

Adam Loveridge: Hi! I’m Adam Loveridge from Top Local TV here with Dr. Peter Marincovich of Audiology Associates of Santa Rosa. Dr. Marincovich is an audiologist and has been practicing in the Santa Rosa area for about the last 30 years. And Dr. Marincovich, thank you so much for joining me here on this segment.

Dr. Peter Marincovich: Yes, thank you for inviting me.

Adam Loveridge: Hey, my pleasure. Dr. Marincovich, if someone would be looking for an audiologist, say in the Santa Rosa area, what advice would you give on the types of things that they really should be looking for a say a great audiologist?

Dr. Peter Marincovich: Well, I would recommend looking for a practice that been in existence for 20-30 years, having certified board certification. I think a practice having a wide scope focusing on prevention and diagnostics. Rehabilitation is important. If technology is utilized, being able to use different types of technology and not being limited to a certain brand or manufacturer type. I think the practice being independent is important. The practice being able to focus on technology that they feel is most important for the patient and their communication needs.

Adam Loveridge: You are bringing up the subject technology and in your opinion why is technology important and why you’d consider say, one audiologist over another.

Dr. Peter Marincovich: I think what we are learning now is the best way to help someone communicate is to not only understand that the technology but understand the human element in combing both. And the technology plays a very important role as we understand more and more about hearing. We simply aren’t making things louder, for example, we’re able to focus on soft sounds and comfortable sounds in quiet, and loud sounds. For example, often patients watching the TV, commercials come on a little bit loud. And they are ways to compensate for that or background noise, we can’t eliminate background noise but we know to assess how it affects individual and are able to tune in to devices. So it’s a prescriptive process now that involves audiocation too. It’s a combination and technology helps with that.

Adam Loveridge: And Dr. Marincovich if somebody were looking for an audiologist in the Santa Rosa area and came to your practice, what type of experience would they expect?

Dr. Peter Marincovich: I think they would experience a team experience. And realize that there at a destination, if you will, just coming in and just receiving a test and leaving, or receiving a product and leaving. That we combine the technology and the human side; a part of our practice is devoted to the diagnostics and evaluations, and sending us the evaluations’ balance, assessing music appreciation and so forth. But understanding, we have a room, for example, set up just for education. We have another area set up for patients who can come in and practice listening with telephone amplifiers and TV amplifiers. There is another section of our practice where patients can focus on listening skills with programs like crossword puzzles are good exercise. We have listening programs that patients can use to help enhance listening skills, and active listening. So I think that patients will realize that we’re very focused on helping them stay connected and they are at a destination, a hearing resource center is a feeling they would have.

Adam Loveridge: Dr. Marincovich, you are actually doing some special things in practice that really set you apart from the marketplace, tells us about that if you would.

Dr. Peter Marincovich: I think that my first talk was a little bit about the technology and then the experience at the practice, the human element and how we bring that in. And what is probably different and unique about practice is how we meld the two. We created what is called the MA5p method. What this incorporates is additional assessments parameters, really identifying how patients respond to soft comfortable loud sounds. For example, we have a much focused active listening program, lip reading; listening skills are a part of that. The prescriptive part setup adapting technology is the patient can benefit from that involves individual assessment of their needs and prescriptive processing programming. Also combing assistive devices that I mentioned, and finally I think the after care is a very significate part of providing services. Six months when a patient follows up but addition, helping patients communication effectively and bringing in what we call the talker and the listener and explaining how communication is a cycle. It does involve a talker and a listener. Also, educating the hearing impaired how to become a more active listener, and educating companions and so forth. Learning how to communicate with a hearing impaired is very significant of what we do.

Adam Loveridge: Excellent. I know you, as the practice, you actually do some special things for new patients and terms of giving back to the community. Share with us that information.

Dr. Peter Marincovich: Yes, the reason we created the ear connection program and this allows the patients when they donate their different products or services to us, we in turn, provide them for the community. It’s a giving back program. Whether it would be time spent with education or actual prior product that is hearing aids, or amplification. We expanded our services for remote areas. We have a telemedicine apart of our practice. Also, we expanded our hours, which having Saturday hours and have a new walking program. It’s for patients who can come in without an appointment. We have services available and can take them immediately not having to wait. So, these are all innovating ways of expanding our community in helping patients to communicate more effectively.

Adam Loveridge: Dr. Marincovich, it is certainly been a privilege having you on this segment on what to look for in a great audiologist in the Santa Rosa area. And I thank you so much on your insight and your time here today.